UNC coach Roy Williams said the problems in the African and Afro-American Studies department are a university issue, and not a basketball issue. PHOTO: Robert Willett
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he has been saddened by academic improprieties that occurred within the African and Afro-American Studies department at North Carolina. But, Williams said on Thursday, “I strongly feel that that’s not a basketball issue.”
An internal investigation at UNC uncovered numerous academic improprieties in more than 50 courses in the AFAM department between 2006 and 2011. Some classes featured unauthorized grade changes, the investigation found, and in other instances classes provided little to no instruction.
Among the students enrolled in the classes were a high percentage of athletes, according to documents The News & Observer obtained through public records requests. In the 54 courses that the university found to be “aberrant and irregular,” 58 percent of the students were athletes.
More than 35 percent (246) of 686 students in those classes were football players, while 3.4 percent (23) were men’s basketball players. UNC has maintained that students completed coursework in the classes, and the university’s investigation did not find that athletes received preferential treatment in the suspect courses.
One of the suspect courses featured 19 students, all of whom were football players. A single men's basketball player, meanwhile, comprised the entire enrollment of two other suspect classes.
“I’m concerned about it because going all the way back to the NCAA stuff, I’ve said the same thing consistently – it’s a very sad time, OK,” Williams said. “But I strongly feel that that’s not a basketball issue. I’m in charge of the basketball program as much the chancellor and the athletic director allow me to be. And it’s not a basketball issue.”
Williams said a given coach’s awareness of his players’ class schedule varies. But, Williams said, he is aware of the classes that his players take.
“I think it varies on a coach,” he said. “I mean, I’m pretty aware of what our guys are doing. And it’s not a basketball issue, guys. It is not a basketball issue. It’s a university issue.”
Still, Williams said he would continue to follow the investigation into the African and Afro-American Studies department.
“Regardless of what comes out, am I going to be interested? You’re darn right,” he said. “Am I going to be sad if some negative thing comes out? You’re darn right. But … am I worried about it? I’m worried about it from a university issue, but not from a basketball issue.”
Comments
Question of the Day
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 09:19 — dubiousExcuse me, Coach?
How do you say "basketball" in Swahili?
Tar Heel Image
Mon, 06/18/2012 - 12:32 — b_actor77In a 5-yr. per.(2006-2011) UNC had approximately 35 different individuals on basketball scholarship. The article today says 23 of them took these, "aberrant and irregular " courses. Yet 5X in this article Roy says, "It's not a basketball issue". UNC's own investigation found, "unauthorized grade changes, and other courses with little or no instruction provided". Amazingly , UNC maintains students completed coursework and athletes received no favorable treatment in these corses. Am I completely nuts? Am I the only one who sees the inherent contradiction in all of this? And Uncle Roy, please, please please stop saying how, "SAD" you are about this negativity as if that's unusual. Do we expect you to be happy or joyful about negative developments? Oh, one more thing Roy, since you are aware of what your guys are doing and know of their classes were you even a teeny, tiny bit suspicious of YOUR player who took 2 of these "courses" where he was the only one registered??? Most legitimate colleges have a minimum enrollment for a course to run(usually 10-12), but YOUR guy somehow got to take 2 courses 1 on 1. But no favoritism, right. As a Tar Heel fan, it appears like this mess will only get worse. And Roy, senseless comments and illogical remarks like you made today certainly don't help.
Will UNC have to vacate
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 10:45 — andy65Will UNC have to vacate their 2012 NCAA national championship in basketball? Oh, wait....
"It's not a basketball
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 09:18 — ProwlingWoofie"It's not a basketball issue" = "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain..."
23 enrollments of basktball
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 08:44 — bppack23 enrollments of basktball players in fraudulent classes and it's not a basketball issue? doesn't Roy care about the education of his players? or is he just cncerned about keeping them eligible? he answered those questions pretty clearly.
Has anyone noticed?
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 00:51 — ncsobxDid anyone notice from Thorpe's letter that the university already told the NCAA abou the Spring 2011 class in question BEFORE the NCAA ruling?
You all seem to be glossing over that fact.
The NCAA already knew about the class of 18 football players before it ruled because UNC VOLUNTEERED THIS INFORMATION.
UNC has obviously made some serious mistakes. It should be punished and has been punished. But it has complied with the NCAA fully, sharing more info than many other schools would even consider.
As a Carolina fan who actually appreciates the rivalry with State, I believe that many State fans go too far. They've allowed their feelings about a rivalry to turn into pure hatred. And that's not what real rivalries are built on; true rivalries stand on respect. I can't stand Duke, but I must respect their university and athletic program. Many of the comments I see from State fans boil down to sheer disrespect.
If you think the University of North Carolina is a sham, perhaps you should try applying to get in, or doing the coursework once you're there. Are there easy classes? Sure. I took several of them. But most classes are very difficult, and you have to work hard for the grades you get. Period.
Let's not let bad a situation with one department cloud our judgment or cause us to make silly claims about the university as a whole. It just sounds petty, disrespectful and ignorant of the facts.
More than ABC
Mon, 06/18/2012 - 11:49 — CayesJacmelWhether one is a Carolina fan, rival, or triangle sports enthusiast, the continuous stream of new revelations is hard to grasp. Moreover, it seems to be clear that the NCAA was not aware of the depth and breadtj of the academic fraud. Don't assume that a poster is a hater. Everybody is simply trying to get their arms around the implications of the revelations. It is a very painful or confusing time for those who believed in the image of UNC.
Smartass ??
Mon, 06/18/2012 - 17:06 — gvillegatrIs this supposed to be one of those comments where it appears sincere, but is masked in snark?! Seriously.
It is neither painful nor confusing to anyone who did not attend or root for the Baby Blue. In fact, it is the exact opposite of what you say. It is a time to rejoice and celebrate and no one is doing that more than the few on here who went to state college and the majority who wear wranglers and white t-shirts with mustard stains for a living.
No one on "the other side" is trying to wrap their arms around this situation. They are indeed throwing their arms in the air as if a wuffie just scored a TD or crossed the plate.
No, ASSume the poster is a hater. The vast majority of us who post here ARE haters ... No matter the color of your shirt.
Getting IN tough
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 11:24 — ezuncI agree that getting into UNC is tough unless you are a great player but 83% of ALL GRADES AT UNC ar A's or B's. Seems staying in UNC is easy. The great system rewards professors with a bonus when their students have high grades. Sounds like classes are really hard if failing takes money away from the professors.
Call It What It Is
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 22:01 — Woody123CarolinaGate ! The ACC commissioner has been rather quiet on this issue, I suspect the price of big time football in Chapel Hill was higher than he anticipated !
Shameful
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 21:21 — lil576What disturbs me the most is how these so called professors sold out their own race, the people they should be striving to lift up. Academics and hard work have always been the proven way out for the impoverished or discriminated. This is shocking and an outcry for a so called academic standard barrier.
LOL
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 19:58 — newsjunky“I strongly feel that that’s not a basketball issue.”
Translation: It's a basketball issue.
Getting hot ain't it
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 19:28 — otis4411Getting hot ain't it Roy??? We got you dead to right and it ain't with no bb gun boy.
lol at all the chickens on here clucking
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 18:05 — bryant80You ladies love to sit around and gossip about UNC. The problem is and was football...Keep clucking and get ready for another mediocre season of football and basketball State fans.
that "mediocre" team has
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 20:53 — carbonLibthat "mediocre" team has owned carowhiner since the marine came to raleigh.....even unc's epic fail at "big boy football"......
unc fans got nothing, football or otherwise, since the 09 title and THAT could be coming back....
they don't even have their diplomas......they are tainted as well..
The article states that 23
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 17:58 — WolfPackOldtimerThe article states that 23 of the enrolled students in questionable classes were basketball players. I would tend to believe that was more than just one or two basketball players taking the same classes. And yet, Coach Williams says that this is not a basketball issue? What is he thinking? To say the basketball players completed all of the expected work when records show no attendance was required and no work really had to be submitted makes his comment ridiculous!
Scandals, Denials and Sniffing Out The Truth
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 17:12 — keihinWhen there's scandal in the air, and someone in a position of authority starts repeating - over and over again - that something is not true, you can be darn sure that they're extremely concerned about one thing: the fact that it is true.
So, when Roy states "it's not a basketball issue" you can be pretty sure IT IS A BASKETBALL ISSUE. Otherwise, why would he keep saying it? And he's quoted as saying it about six times just in this one piece...
Duck and cover Roy. Judgement Day is coming.
Roy actually believes basketball players are students?
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 17:00 — igliigliRoy actually believes basketball players are students?
What a hypocrite.
Friggin' Frickin' and Fracking
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 10:05 — ab3623Here we have another Roy euphemism. Football players try to get over, but basketball players don't. Football and basketball players are friends; they work out together; they are special - they played high school sports, football, basketball, baseball, etc. together. They know each other every day and in every way - and now we are told that only football players take easy classes to keep their Grade Point Average up? I would guess they talk to each other, the players, even if they never tell (wink, wink) their tutors, and all agree on what are the best courses to take: to stay eligible for sports, to ultimately graduate. Guess what? All students do this! Maybe not the 1% who are on track from freshman admission to PhD, but ordinary students look for core required courses and electives that are both interesting and where they can make good grades. Hello! Are any of you commentators college graduates?? I seem to hear from a lot of "true fans" who never attended their passionate college of choice. Let's loop back to ol' Roy: yes, your guys try to game the system just like the football players do, but there are many fewer basketball players than football players, so it is harder to catch them in a "lie", whatever that lie might be. The basketball players may be as pure as the driven snow, but let's not look too closely . . . .
Yikes......
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 16:56 — AgentPierceAny story that begins: "UNC's Roy Williams said.........." will (1) draw a huge readership.... and (2) cause many many area fans to say "uh oh".
Roy is to academia what Joe Biden is to politics. Interpret that however you choose.
Even funnier because it's
Fri, 06/15/2012 - 09:11 — ProwlingWoofieEven funnier because it's absolutely true ! ;-)
Roy's new play
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 16:41 — The_Nags_HeadIn an astounding display, Roy Williams demonstrated his team's new play - throwing their fellow athletes under the bus.
It's an entire university issue
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 16:28 — pressingncaa" A single men's basketball player, meanwhile, comprised the entire enrollment of two other suspect classes."
LOL at Roy. His arrogance knows no bounds.
Correct
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 16:09 — YAR8packIt's not just a unc basketball issue. It's a football and basketball issue.
And the hits keep coming...
Don't forget to add baseball
Thu, 06/14/2012 - 17:53 — barelypureDon't forget to add baseball in with football and basketball. I'm beginning to believe that Butch was innocent as he claimed. He just used the system that was already in place. The only question is, who told him how to skirt the rules and get his players preferential treatment. Was it the AD, who should have know something was rotten. Or, a coach who is "part of the family?"